The Last Frontier 9 11 12 Gold Rushes Frontier of miners cattleman and farmers Indians fought to hold back tide of white invasion 1849 Gold Rush in California 1858 Gold discovered in Pikes Peak Colorado 1861 Colorado became a territory 1876 Colorado came into union as Centennial State 1859 Comstock Lode discovered H T P Comstock AKA Old Pancake was a one time mountain man who had drifted to Carson river and talked himself into a share which then turned out to be one of the most prosperous and then sold it out for a tiny sum Gold rush to Nevada 1861 Nevada became a territory 1964 Nevada came into union just in time to give its 3 electoral votes to Lincoln Most important mineral proved to be copper More mining Boones in Arizona Lawlessness in Mining Towns Mining areas usually had no government at all there was a great deal of lawlessness Henry Plummer committed 100 murders plus countless robberies in Nevada Martha Jane Canary Calamity Jane born 1852 fought unemployment by becoming a prostitute known for her lovers frequently dying under mysterious circumstances Cherokee Bill parents part black white and Indian became a professional killer killing for fun and for profit He inspired fear and horror throughout Indian Territory As his crimes increased so did reward money for his capture while visiting Maggie Glass her cousin Ike hit him over the head chained him and turned him over He was tried at Ft Smith Arkansas before Judge Parker who sentenced him to hang and declared that the punishment was not nearly enough Not all the people who went to these mining towns were as desperate as these mentioned but a lot were outcasts These towns always had saloons houses for prostitutes gambling houses etc Black Cowboys Most of the first Black cowboys were slaves Many were Ranchers Aaron Ashworth was a Black rancher in Texas Wranglers Cooks Jockeys Soldiers There were Black villains as well as heroes Nat Love was named Outstanding Cowboy for his skill in riding and marksmanship gained from participating in roping contests and shooting contests He wrote The Life and Adventures of Nat Love which became better known in cattle country as Deadwood Dick Mary Fields AKA Stagecoach Mary was a 6 tall 200 pound woman who worked on a freighter as a stagecoach driver and then as a laundress at age 70 was a famously good shot States Territories After Colorado s admission to the union there was a long hiatus b c Democrats were reluctant to make states out of heavily Republican territories States in admitted into the Union 1889 South Dakota North Dakota Montana Washington 1890 Idaho Wyoming 1896 Utah after Mormons abandoned practice of polygamy 1907 Oklahoma 1912 Arizona New Mexico Now 48 continental states 1959 Alaska Hawaii Indian Wars 250 000 Indians lived off of buffalo herds food clothing and shelter This region had been referred to as the Great American Desert and was considered unfit for human habitation and therefore perfect for Indians Indians resented white intrusion Plains Indians were a very formidable foe as superb horseman who were very effective with bows they rode with both hands free and shooting on the side of their horse August 1862 Murder of 5 whites near New Ulm by Indians First uprising among Sioux of Minnesota Indians were frightened divided into two groups One group escaped to West Other group knew whites wouldn t forgive murders and attacked led by Little Crow They were defeated and over 300 Indians were sentenced to death Little Crow killed in 1863 1861 Arapaho Cheyenne tribes were persuaded to make room for white advance in Colorado by receding into Sand Creek Reserve 1864 Indians began to raid trail Territorial governor John Evans called out Colorado militia and encouraged certain peaceful Indians to concentrate in certain areas where they would be safe 500 Indians reported to Fort Lyon on Sand Creek Reserve flew a white flag and a US flag above camp Commander of US Army in West General Curtis said I want no peace until the Indians suffer more Chivington Massacre Colonel J M Chivington former minister was more than happy to oblige him made surprise attack with 900 men on peaceful Indians at Fort Lyon in Sept Murdered 100 450 men women and children Chivington 1865 survivors surrendered unconditionally and gave up Sand Creek Reserve 1867 Congressional Committee began to gather evidence of Indian Wars Issued report on the Condition of the Indian Tribes Established Indian Peace Condition ending Sioux War Decided this was best established at the expense of Indians they had to move farther back Congress held at Medicine Creek Lodge in Kansas Ended with agreement that Kiowa Comanche Arapaho Cheyenne would all accept lands in Western Oklahoma 1868 Conference held at Fort Laramie resulted in peace with the Sioux who agreed to settle within the Black Hills Reservation in Dakota territory Indian Wars continued in southern plain until Red River War 1874 1875 General Sheridan scattered Indians General George A Custer led exploring expedition including gold seekers into Black Hills in Montana Custer and 200 of his men were surrounded by 2500 Indian warriors at the Little Big Horn River and completely annihilated Chief Sitting Bull managed to escape into Canada and return to Sioux territory later Chief Crazy Horse captured 1890 Indian Wars ended with characteristic brutality at Wounded An accidental rifle shot led American soldiers to fire into group of Indians who had come to surrender American Public Treatment of Indians White hunters began shooting buffalo for sport By the mid 1880s buffalos were on the verge of extinction Campaigns against Indians not popular with American people Helen Hunt Jackson novelist poet focused attention on Indian cause in a couple of her works first A Century of Dishonor 1881 which was a stinging indictment of American Indian policy It did help persuade public opinion to try to improve the condition of the Indians Ramona 1884 was a novel about the wrongs inflicted on California Indians Valuable natural resources gold copper oil etc were found on some reservations Well intentioned reformers tried to Americanize Indians They didn t understand Indian culture and treated them as individuals instead of a community tribe Indian Policy Reservation policy inaugurated by Peace Commission saved money cost less to house and feed Indians on reservations than it did to fight them Dawes Act 1887 Sponsored by congressman Henry M Dawes of Massachusetts Measure proposed to introduce
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